Chapter XXI.—Impure Loves Ascribed to the Gods.

But should it be said that they only had fleshly forms, and possess blood and seed, and the affections of anger and sexual desire, even then we must regard such assertions as nonsensical and ridiculous; for there is neither anger, nor desire and appetite, nor procreative seed, in gods. Let them, then, have fleshly forms, but let them be superior to wrath and anger, that Athênâ may not be seen

who would not blame the folly of those who, with tales like these, are lovers of the gods, or rather, live without any god? Let them have fleshly forms, but let not Aphrodité be wounded by Diomedes in her body:—

“Then, nothing loth, th enamourd fair he led, And sunk transported on the conscious bed. Down rushed the toils.” 775

Do they not pour forth impious stuff of this sort in abundance concerning the gods? Ouranos is mutilated; Kronos is bound, and thrust down to Tartarus; the Titans revolt; Styx dies in battle: yea, they even represent them as mortal; they are in love with one another; they are in love with human beings:—

Are they not in love? Do they not suffer? Nay, verily, they are gods, and desire cannot touch them! Even though a god assume flesh in pursuance of a divine purpose, 777
he is therefore the slave of desire.

“For never yet did such a flood of love, For goddess or for mortal, fill my soul; Not for Ixions beauteous wife, who bore Pirithöus, sage in council as the gods; Nor the neat-footed maiden Danäe, A crisius daughter, her who Perséus bore, Th observd of all; nor noble Phœnix child; . . . . . . nor for Semele; Nor for Alcmena fair; . . . No, nor for Ceres, golden-tressèd queen; Nor for Latona bright; nor for thyself.” 778

He is created, he is perishable, with no trace of a god in him. Nay, they are even the hired servants of men:—

“Admetus halls, in which I have endured To praise the menial table, though a god.” 779

And they tend cattle:—

“And coming to this land, I cattle fed, For him that was my host, and kept this house.” 780

Admetus, therefore, was superior to the god. prophet and wise one, and who canst foresee for others the things that shall be, thou didst not divine the slaughter of thy beloved, but didst even kill him with thine own hand, dear as he was:—

“And I believed Apollos mouth divine Was full of truth, as well as prophets art.”

(Æschylus is reproaching Apollo for being a false prophet:)—

“The very one who sings while at the feast, The one who said these things, alas! is he Who slew my son.” 781